BOYNE CITY, Mich. – Great Lakes Energy (GLE) electric cooperative line crews, contractors, and tree trimming crews are making meaningful progress in their efforts to restore power during Winter Storm Iona.
As of 8:30 a.m. today, electric power outages are impacting 5,793 members in 16 counties. Since the storm began late Saturday, just over 26,000 members have had power restored. The majority of outages have been caused by harsh winter winds, ice, and snow. The weather has impacted many trees causing them to fall into the right-of-way or onto the cooperative infrastructure.
Osceola County remains the hardest hit, with more than 2,600 outages, followed by Lake County with approximately 970 outages, down from 2,300 late yesterday.
All available line crews and contractors, including tree‑trimming crews, continue to make solid progress while keeping safety at the forefront.
Members can log in to their online account to see the estimated time of restoration (ETR) for their address. Crews will be working through tonight with the hardest hit areas impacted tomorrow, and restoration times may change as work advances.
Safety Reminder: Generator safety is critical during extended outages. Always use a transfer switch to connect generators properly and prevent backfeeding, which poses a serious risk to utility workers. Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, trees, or electrical equipment, as they may still be energized.
Members can report outages through their online account, the Great Lakes Energy app, or by calling 888-485-2537. For updates, visit gtlakes.com/power-outages/.